Causes of Gap Teeth

If you’ve got a gap between your upper front teeth and want to get rid of it, Holmdel’s Dr. Dipika Shah has you covered. But what kind of treatment is best will depend on a few factors, some of which are related to other issues.

If the teeth are otherwise in alignment, veneers may be all that's needed to close a gap. These shells are cemented onto the fronts of the teeth, covering gaps as well as cracks, chips, and stains. But if the teeth are twisted or there are gaps between the other teeth, as well, orthodontic treatment may be preferable. Cosmetic orthodontic corrections can be done with Invisalign while more advanced work requires traditional braces. Patients will have to wear retainers afterward regardless of which kind of orthodontic treatment they get or the gap may reopen.

Sometimes, especially when accompanied by an overbite, a gap develops in response to pressure on the teeth. Tongue thrusting and thumb sucking can both push the front teeth apart and have to be resolved to prevent the gap from returning. (This may require help from another specialist, such as an ear, nose, and throat doctor.) If the labial frenum, the strip of tissue connecting the inside of the upper lip to the jaw is enlarged, it has to be surgically reduced for the teeth to be able to move together and stay together. We have laser to take care of that attachment so no pain and no bleeding. 

Dr. Dipika Shah, Master in the Academy of General Dentistry, operates at 723 N Beers St, Suite 2F, Holmdel, New Jersey, 07733-1512. To schedule an appointment, call 732-264-8180 or visit Dentist NJ and fill out a contact form.

 

Orthodontics and Root Canals

At Dr. Dipika Shah’s Holmdel dental practice, patients have the advantage of a dentist who is a Master in the Academy of General Dentistry and skilled in a wide variety of treatments. Dr. Shah is competent to provide general dentistry including orthodontics, root canals, implants, extraction, treat kids, cosmetic dentistry tetc under one roof  by same comforting and caring team. 

When a tooth is badly infected, dentists face a choice: should it be extracted and replaced or treated with a root canal? Nothing is as good as your own tooth.Dr. shah will give her 100% to save your teeth if possible. It may need simpole filling or may need root cana, post core and crown or gum treatment.  It makes sense for patients to go to a single doctor who can provide all their treatment.

Dr. Dipika Shah, Master in the Academy of General Dentistry, operates at 723 N Beers St, Suite 2F, Holmdel, New Jersey, 07733-1512. To schedule an appointment, call 732-264-8180 or visit Dentist NJ and fill out a contact form.

 

Caring for Clear Aligners

Dr. Dipika Shah, DDS recommends Invisalign for patients with mild to moderate spacing or crowding of the teeth.  Invisalign’s clear aligner system straightens teeth without the metallic look of braces. Another perk of Invisalign clear aligners is that they require less maintenance and won’t prevent you from eating certain foods.  Although you won’t have to make too many changes, there are still guidelines you should follow to wear and care for your aligners!

You should remove Invisalign each time you eat, but if you do eat anything while wearing the aligners make sure to clean them thoroughly afterwards. It is also best to brush and floss your teeth before putting the aligners back in.  Ideally when wearing clear aligners, you would only drink water. Colorful drinks can stain the aligners and too many hot drinks can eventually warp the plastic.  If you do drink anything other than water while wearing the aligners you should rinse them with warm water afterwards. 

Cleaning the clear aligners regularly is important for your teeth and straightening treatment.  Clear aligners can become discolored over time without losing their effectiveness, but the color can show on your own teeth and continue to darken.  Invisalign offers its own brand of cleaning solution, and there are several soaking solutions available over the counter, but brushing the aligners is also a sufficient cleaning option.  Do not use toothpaste to brush the aligners because subtle abrasive properties of toothpaste could harm the aligner.  It is best to use a mild dish soap and a soft bristle brush to clean the aligners each time you brush your teeth.

If you have any more questions about Invisalign, visit www.dentistnj.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Dipika Shah DDS, here in our Holmdel, NJ office, call 732-264-8180. 

When to Start Orthodontics

At Dr. Dipika Shah’s Holmdel practice, we want to provide treatment for your entire family with good quality. Part of our exam is to determine whether our patients will need orthodontic treatment and to prepare them for braces or Invisalign. To help patients know what kind of treatment is appropriate, we’ve provided this guide.

Ten or eleven is the usual age to begin braces or Invisalign but children will begin being assessed several years before then. One of our specialties is the use of oral appliances to help combat problems such as tongue thrusting (which can result in malocclusions) and overly narrow jaws. Children may also need early orthodontic treatment if they are suffering from constricted airways or if they have lost a baby tooth before the permanent one was ready to erupt. In that case, they would need a spacer to ensure the permanent tooth will have room. Early adolescence is the recommended age at which to begin braces and Invisalign because the permanent teeth have all erupted but the skull is still somewhat flexible. Adults can undergo orthodontic treatment for misalignments and gap teeth, but guided canine eruption and underbite treatments work best on adolescents.

Dr. Dipika Shah, Master in the Academy of General Dentistry, operates at 723 N Beers St, Suite 2F, Holmdel, New Jersey, 07733-1512. To schedule an appointment, call 732-264-8180 or visit DentistNJ.com and fill out a contact form.

 

Diabetes and Orthodontics

Did you know that November is American Diabetes Month? At Dr. Dipika Shah’s Holmdel dental office, we’ve worked for years to help our patients understand how diabetes complicates oral health. This month, we want to focus on how orthodontics, in particular, is affected by diabetes.

People with diabetes are particularly vulnerable to gingivitis and periodontal disease. When periodontal disease goes untreated, it damages the jaw bone that supports your teeth and gums, allowing teeth to migrate. This kind of damage can influence poor results with orthodontics, braces make oral hygiene more difficult. For a diabetic person with uncontrolled periodontal disease, this becomes poor choice of treatment. On the other hand, Invisalign does not create additional challenges to oral hygiene. The aligners may be removed and the patient can brush and floss normally. Invisalign also puts gentler pressure on the teeth, which is preferable for diabetic patients. Everyone may not be a candidate for Invisalign but if the patient’s blood sugar is kept under control and they adhere to oral hygiene practices, they can still receive treatment with braces or Invisalign. Once treatment starts, your follow up visits, will give us an opportunity to ensure the patient’s teeth and gums are still healthy.

Dr. Dipika Shah, Master in the Academy of General Dentistry, operates at 723 N Beers St, Suite 2F, Holmdel, New Jersey, 07733-1512. To schedule an appointment, call 732-264-8180 or visit DentistNJ.com and fill out a contact form.

 

Invisalign

Invisalign is the invisible alternative to traditional braces for adolescents and adults.  At the practice of Dr. Dipika Shah we provide Invisalign to correct mild to moderate spacing or crowding of the teeth.  Invisalign does the job of traditional braces without metal brackets and wires – saving patients from the dreaded ‘metal mouth’ look throughout their treatment.  Severe misalignment may require another method, so always consult your dentist. 

To straighten your teeth with Invisalign, we begin with an examination. Then, impressions or scans of your teeth are used to create a full set of aligners customized to your teeth and your treatment plan.  A typical treatment plan consists of a series of clear, removable plastic aligners that are custom-made for your teeth, and can be completed in less than a year. Depending on your individual treatment plan, each set of aligners should be worn at least 20 hours a day for about two weeks. The aligners should be removed to eat, and to brush and floss.

To learn more about Invisalign and all the services we provide, visit www.dentistnj.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Dipika Shah DDS, here in our Holmdel, NJ office, call 732-264-8180. 

Orthodontics in Holmdel, NJ

Orthodontics is a branch of dentistry that corrects teeth and jaws that are misaligned and corrects any dental deformities. Dr. Dipika Shah offers a variety of orthodontic options to her patients but encourages assessing a child’s orthodontic needs as early as possible. Crowded teeth are difficult to clean and packs a lot more food. The benefits of receiving orthodontic treatment are endless but include a healthier mouth, and a straighter, more aesthetically pleasing smile  and face.

At her Holmdel, NJ dental practice, Dipika Shah, DDS gives patients a choice when it comes to straightening their teeth – Invisalign and traditional braces. Both appliances work by placing gentle pressure on the teeth and jaws. Depending on the individual case, one option may be preferred over another. To decide which form of orthodontics is best for you, we recommend scheduling a consultation.

If you have questions or concerns about our orthodontic options, please give us a call. To learn about the services we provide at our practice, visit www.dentistnj.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Dipika Shah, DDS in our Holmdel, NJ office, call 732-264-8180.

Invisalign for Discreet and Convenient Straightening

Straightening your teeth results in a beautiful smile, but many are not so happy with how they look wearing braces. Dr. Dipika Shah, DDS in Holmdel, NJ offers a solution for her patients who want straight teeth without wearing braces. She offers Invisalign; a nearly invisible way to straighten teeth.

In addition to being almost invisible, Invisalign is also incredibly convenient. Unlike braces, you are able to take Invisalign out to eat and clean your teeth. This means you no longer have to avoid certain foods like hard, crunchy, or sticky ones. You can also brush and floss your teeth normally. No going around brackets or under wires.

Invisalign works by taking impressions of your teeth and creating a series of clear aligner trays. The trays created from your impressions will be switched out every two weeks; each tray being slightly different. Over the course of time, your teeth will shift into place. Most adult patients finish their Invisalign treatment in about a year. Most teen patients take about the same time as traditional braces; about two years.

If you desire a beautiful, straight smile, consider Invisalign for a discreet and convenient treatment. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Dipika Shah, DDS in Holmdel, NJ, call our office at (732) 264-8180 or visit our website, www.dentistnj.com. 

Dr. Dipika Shah Provides Invisalign and Traditional Braces to Straighten Teeth

Crooked or crowded teeth are not only unattractive but conducive to the development of dental caries and temporomandibular joint disorder due to abnormal bite dimensions. Specializing in Family Care, Orthodontics and TMJ, Dr. Dipika Shah can also provide procedures that may be necessary to implement prior to fitting a patient with Invisalign tray aligners or traditional metal braces.

Traditional metal braces are more applicable to preteens and teenagers because they do not require the daily consideration that removable Invisalign trays need. When Dr. Shah fits a patient with metal braces, she bonds the brackets to teeth with dental adhesive and threads each bracket with a thin, flexible wire. Patients wearing traditional braces will need to visit Dr. Shah every few weeks to have wires tightened so that movement of teeth is induced gradually. Generally worn for at least two years, metal braces are necessary for moderately to severely crooked teeth because they initiate a biomechanical process called bone remodeling that promotes growth of new bone for the support of repositioned teeth.

Alternately, Invisalign represents a new type of teeth straightening technology that incorporates the use of customized plastic trays to induce movement of crooked teeth. Dr. Shah relies on computer CAD/CAM software to determine where adjustments for relocating teeth should be made and plans a series of Invisalign aligner trays to initiate these movements. Each tray is distinct from other trays, constructed by laboratory technicians following dimensions prescribed by Dr. Shah. Patients are then instructed to wear a different tray every two weeks so that teeth follow a pattern of movement which eventually culminates in the desired results.

For more information about Invisalign and traditional braces, visit www.dentistnj.com or call 732-264-8180 to schedule an appointment with Dr. Dipika Shah in Holmdel, NJ.

Invisalign

At our office in Holmdel, NJ we offer Invisalign aligners so that you can straighten your teeth without committing to a mouth full of metal. Using a series of clear plastic aligners, Dr. Dipika Shah will guide your teeth into a smile you can be proud of.

While regular braces are still best for the most serious cases of teeth straightening, Invisalign is great for cases of mild to moderate spacing or crowding. For these cases, Invisalign provides teeth correction that bypasses the discomfort, soreness and restrictive diet that those who have traditional braces must face.

With a computer program that generates a series of aligners with small changes in each, Invisalign will allow you to straighten your teeth without anyone even knowing. Virtually invisible, the aligners are made of thin, comfortable plastic and are removable. Therefore, your teeth will not experience the same discoloration and plaque buildup that can normally occur with metal brackets and wire. In addition, you will be able to eat all the foods you like, such as popcorn, chips, pretzels, nuts, apples, carrots and corn.

If you think Invisalign might be the best option for you to achieve the smile you’ve been dreaming of, call us at 732-264-8180 to schedule an appointment. For more information, visit www.dentistnj.com.

Orthodontic Options

Thanks to advances in orthodontic technology, you no longer have to feel embarrassed or self-conscious becauseyou have to wear braces. You also don’t have to wear braces for over a year to get the best results anymore. Dr. Dipika Shah offers both braces and Invisalign for patients hoping to straighten their teeth.

 

Invisalign aligners are plastic, removable mouth pieces that gradually straighten teeth over time. They give less force per week and cause considerably less pain to straighten teeth compared to traditional braces. Since the pieces are transparent, patients are able to maintain their smile while improving it at the same time. One of the main complaints of traditional braces, while they are effective, they often leave stain marks on the teeth. This is not the case with Invisalign; patients are able to remove the mouth pieces in order to brush and floss well regularly. They do not interfere with your speech either. May a times, no one will even know that you are wearing "Invisalign' aligner. 

 

Dr. Shah also offers traditional braces for patients looking to correct bite problems while straightening their teeth. These braces are made of strong metal alloys and are considered the smallest and most comfortable option. While they do take the longest of all the orthodontic options made available by Dr. Shah, they are the most effective when it comes to aligning teeth and correcting bite problems.

 

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Shah at our Holmdel, NJ office, call 732-264-8180 or visit www.dentistnj.com for more information.